Embraer’s Praetor 600 edges closer

Following the announcement of Embraer’s new Praetor private jet aircraft last October at industry convention NBAA, certification flight tests on the first model, the $29.9M Praetor 600, are now completed. The new aircraft looks set to enter service in the next 3-4 months, and to become available for private jet charter later in 2019.

Three Praetor 600 aircraft – two prototypes and a production-conforming example – have now logged 440 hours, and 372 flights at Embraer’s test base in Brazil. The model is now undergoing a flight maturity campaign, in preparation for its market entry. The smaller, $16.9M Praetor 500 is due to enter service just behind its sibling – in the third quarter of this year.

The two new aircraft are Embraer’s newest entrants in the midsize and super-midsize segments. And they are proving popular, particularly the 8-seater Praetor 600, with production now sold out until mid-2020.

Rather than clean sheet designs, the Praetors are enhanced versions of existing Legacy models – the Praetor 500 is based on the Legacy 450, and the Praetor 600 on the Legacy 500.

The primary differentiator between the Praetor 600 and the Legacy 500 is range – it can fly further thanks to more aerodynamically efficient winglets and additional fuel capacity.

And this opens up new routes, including the all-important transatlantic pathway. Embraer’s Legacy range of aircraft are popular for longer flights within a continent, or to connect Europe with the Middle East. But the Praetor 600 will be capable of able to fly 3,900nm nonstop – connecting London or Paris to New York.

This puts Embraer in a more competitive position in this market segment – rivalling Bombardier’s Challenger 350 (once again the most-delivered business jet last year) and Textron’s upcoming Cessna Citation Longitude.

To charter an Embraer aircraft, or compare models for your trip, our expert Flight Team is available 24/7. Contact us or call +44 (0)20 7100 6960.